Dual-Language Immersion Programs

Dual-language immersion programs provide native English speakers and English learners with general academic instruction in two languages from kindergarten onward. In Portland Public Schools, the programs operate in 11 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 5 high schools, offering instruction in Spanish, Mandarin, Japanese, and Russian. Two-way programs follow a 90/10 model (90% partner language in kindergarten, decreasing by 10 percentage points per grade), while one-way programs follow a 50/50 model in elementary grades. Students are admitted through a district-wide lottery system. The study tracks seven cohorts of lottery applicants from kindergarten through eighth grade, examining effects on reading, mathematics, and science test scores, as well as English learner reclassification.